Pro-Family? The GOP kneecapped itself with latest abortion push | John L. Micek

On Wednesday, Republicans who control the state House efficiently batted aside family-friendly amendments to a bill they fraudulently claimed was an attempt to help disabled kids and their families -- but was really just another sham attempt by culture warriors to restrict a woman's right to choose. "Republicans are pro-life until birth, then you're on your own," fumed Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, who saw his attempt to amend a bill banning abortion because of a diagnosis of Down syndrome, frustrated by the GOP majority.

Fiscal watchdog sounds alarm

Honesty, particularly honesty in accounting, is at a premium in Washington these days, which makes the role of the Congressional Budget Office even more crucial than usual. As a methodologically rigorous, politically independent watchdog of the federal government's fiscal situation, the CBO is one of the last entities in a hyper-partisan capital still dedicated to telling truths when others can't or won't.

Continue reading Kathleen Parker: History seems to enjoy repeating itself

When the FBI, after a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller, raided the offices and hotel room of Trump attorney Michael Cohen, the thud of the other shoe dropping sent ripples along Pennsylvania Avenue, down the National Mall and over the Potomac River into Northern Virginia, where more than a few veterans of earlier political wars likely grimaced at what could come next. No one should feel good about what's happening now.

Editorials from around Oregon

For five years, Sen. Ron Wyden has pushed Congress to address how U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management leaders often must divert money from other programs, including fire prevention and forest management budgets, to cover the increasingly high cost of fighting massive wildfires. The Wildfire Disaster Funding Act was a part of the $1.3 trillion federal spending package passed by federal lawmakers and signed by the president late last month.

Gov. Ivey owes it to voters to debate

Gov. Kay Ivey may believe she doesn't need to debate her opponents for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, but voters deserve every opportunity to be able to compare the candidates for the office. The Republicans are having a race to see who will be their party's nominee for governor come the Nov. 6 general election.

What to make of the FBI’s raid of Michael Cohen’s office

Monday's news that FBI special agents in New York executed search warrants on the office of President Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, is just another reason why, as an old colleague of mine said recently, "If I were the subject of a Bob Mueller-led investigation, I'd be peeing my pants." What today's action demonstrates is that the special counsel is not only conducting a serious investigation of Russia interference in our democracy, and of those U.S. persons who may have colluded or conspired or otherwise enabled it, but a thorough one.

Public confidence dented

The talk of the town over the past week and days to come, especially for residents of Chiang Mai, is none other than the housing and office building project for judges and officials of the Region 5 Appeals Court in the forest at the foot of Doi Suthep mountain in Mae Rim district. The controversial construction project pits environment-conscious groups in the northern province against the Office of the Judiciary which serves as the "housekeeper" for the judiciary.